Finally, some feel-good cinema so good it’s maddening. Can’t every big-budget flick be this satisfying, feel this complete? No matter. At least for now, we have “Project Hail Mary,” a space adventure that will entice casual filmgoers and sci-fi diehards.
For those unfamiliar with this one, the original novel arrived five years ago, the second by author Andy Weir, a former programmer (and son of a physicist and electrical engineer) who painstakingly researches space flight, mechanics and physics to ensure his fictional stories follow most of reality’s limitations as humans venture off world.“Project Hail Mary” continues that tradition, but reaches farther into the galaxy than his first novel and questions what an alien species might look like without assuming a humanoid design.
Across assorted films, we’ve seen some iteration of this plotline before, but rarely in such a fun way. The sun has begun to dim, so every nation must work together to determine why. They need the best. Instead, they got Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), a grade-school teacher banished from academia’s ivory tower thanks to a scandalous thesis and general trouble playing well with others.
But Grace’s involvement in Project Hail Mary is mostly a mystery to the scientist who awakes in a spaceship alone some time later, uncertain how he got there and with no ability to contact anyone on Earth. He must rely on his expertise and a vague understanding of his mandate to research an anomaly in another solar system.
Flashbacks can be a mixed bag, but they succeed here as the story moves between Grace’s present space trek to a predetermined destination and progression through moments on Earth leading to his current dilemma.
In those flashbacks, we encounter many important characters like project leader Eva Stratt (“Anatomy of a Fall’s” Sandra Huller) and security agent Carl (“The Bear’s” Lionel Boyce), who helps Grace with some hilarious lo-fi science projects.
But all the human characters pale to Grace’s space pal Rocky (James Ortiz, character voice and lead puppeteer), an alien so named by Grace because of his rock-like appearance. The dynamic between Grace and Rocky serves as the film’s soul. Expect a lotta laughs and some heartfelt sequences as well.
Ryan Gosling has been quietly building up quite a resume over a couple decades. He’s out there serving up delightful performances across genres. Yet again, the charming guy proves he can lead a sci-fi epic. “Project Hail Mary” is especially challenging since so many scenes feature Gosling alone. No matter. In every scene, he balances humor and sincerity in the role of an unlikely, unwilling hero.
Gosling’s Grace is fun and often funny, but the depiction of deep space is no joke. A mix of CGI and practical effects creates a stunning experience that rarely feels synthetic. This is the verisimilitude we’ve been promised for too long. And the puppetry that brings Rocky to life is a stern reminder that computer imagery can’t replace human ingenuity.
A film like this shouldn’t feel like a risk. It’s an adaptation of Weir’s beloved novel, with proven interest, based on the reception of his other novel adaptation, “The Martian.” And Drew Goddard (“The Cabin in the Woods,” “Cloverfield,” “Daredevil”) even returned with another clean, concise screenplay. But blockbusters usually hail from established franchises. Gotta love original works like this that break through.
At this point, we should all trust anything with Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s names attached. From directing “21 Jump Street” to overseeing the “Spider-Verse” films, the duo creates entertaining and incredibly clever stories across film and television.
Perhaps a few anticipated films will succeed this year, but “Project Hail Mary” is in the top spot for now. See it once, see it twice. It’s insanely re-watchable and entirely worth viewing on your nearest IMAX screen.
But all the human characters pale to Grace’s space pal Rocky (James Ortiz, character voice and lead puppeteer), an alien so named by Grace because of his rock-like appearance. The dynamic between Grace and Rocky serves as the film’s soul. Expect a lotta laughs and some heartfelt sequences as well.
Ryan Gosling has been quietly building up quite a resume over a couple decades. He’s out there serving up delightful performances across genres. Yet again, the charming guy proves he can lead a sci-fi epic. “Project Hail Mary” is especially challenging since so many scenes feature Gosling alone. No matter. In every scene, he balances humor and sincerity in the role of an unlikely, unwilling hero.
Gosling’s Grace is fun and often funny, but the depiction of deep space is no joke. A mix of CGI and practical effects creates a stunning experience that rarely feels synthetic. This is the verisimilitude we’ve been promised for too long. And the puppetry that brings Rocky to life is a stern reminder that computer imagery can’t replace human ingenuity.
A film like this shouldn’t feel like a risk. It’s an adaptation of Weir’s beloved novel, with proven interest, based on the reception of his other novel adaptation, “The Martian.” And Drew Goddard (“The Cabin in the Woods,” “Cloverfield,” “Daredevil”) even returned with another clean, concise screenplay. But blockbusters usually hail from established franchises. Gotta love original works like this that break through.
At this point, we should all trust anything with Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s names attached. From directing “21 Jump Street” to overseeing the “Spider-Verse” films, the duo creates entertaining and incredibly clever stories across film and television.
Perhaps a few anticipated films will succeed this year, but “Project Hail Mary” is in the top spot for now. See it once, see it twice. It’s insanely re-watchable and entirely worth viewing on your nearest IMAX screen.
Image credit: Amazon MGM Pictures
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